Templates

I have a very long French name and I got tired of spelling it out only to have it mispelled anyway. So I made this card and now my name is not mispelled anymore. Ygor pointed out a booboo, so I fixed it.

Paper size:

Index Card (3 x 5)

Thumbnail:

Usage advice:

Keep this card in the reference section of your Hipster for use when needed

Jot down appointments and synch them to your planner at the end of the day.

I do not carry my daybook/planner with me during the day. But I do make appointments during this time. I made this template so I can jot down the appointment that I make, and later add to my planner at the end of the day when I return home. I'm a Francophone, so the form is in French.

These forms are designed to work together. I used these forms (though not in DIYPlanner format) for a number of years, and can attest that they work. In fact, my accountant loved this format. :-)

I have to confess, however, that the basic format is not unique to me. In fact, this form is loosely based on a Dome book. However, I constantly worried about losing my Dome book. So, one year, when I couldn't find the Dome book in the store, I made my own forms that fit inside my DayTimer, and created a spreadsheet that would work with my own forms. I have now modified my forms yet again to take advantage of the Widget kit, and make them more general, and less specific to my needs, including adding extra categories, and leaving some blank lines for those who need even more categories.

nb 12/13/08 - per request I have added the original open office doc that I created this with. Enjoy!

Bill

Paper size:

Classic (5.5 x 8.5)

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Usage advice:

My wife asked me to design her a simple page to fit in her planner so she could jot down recipes when she came across them - this is the result. It is Classic size (8 1/2 x 5 1/2) and set up for 2-up printing - I hope someone else finds this useful

nb 12/13/08 - per request I have added the original open office doc that I created this with. Enjoy!

This template is a 4-up A4 context based to do list and addresses a few of the problems I commonly encounter.

I like the HPDA format but frequently find problems with printing to 3x5 cards, or find that I'm at a client without any blank 3x5s to hand.

This template uses standard A4 paper that, when quartered, is almost HPDA size. I can print these easily anywhere.

I also find that a 3x5 is usually too big for the six or seven items that I commonly have on my to do list. I've therefore split each quarter into two seperate lists giving a total of eight possible contexts per A4 page.

The template has two pages. The first has blank contexts for use in any situation. The second has my commonly used contexts. The original OO template is included to make changing the contexts easier for your own use.

Paper size:

A4

Usage advice:

Simply print and fold into quarters. You have an easily created, cheap, disposable HPDA in (almost) the usual size.

Wide range of forms for all occasions - ideas copied from Doug's HipsterPDA edition but in very different style.

Outside of USA there are problems with index cards but plethora of Ax formats (also found index format slightly too big for me).

Paper size:

Other

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Usage advice:

Cards themselves are in A7 (portrait) and A6 (landscape) format. You can print them up to 8 (or 4) on one A4 sheet using extensive Acrobat Reader printing options.

I've also made available pack of pages a7-up8.zip . In this file each form is positioned 8 (4) times on one A4 sheet (one form per file). Due to size (3MB) I've decided to spare DIY bandwidth and uploaded it here:

I have been lurking around this site for a couple of months and finally decided that I would like to make an attempt to contribute to the cause. I don't have a lot of creativity, so I thought I would attempt to create something simple but useful. I noticed there was check register template for the hipster, but not in classic size. I actually created this template in Microsoft Word, then imported into PDF.

Please let me know if you find this template useful.

Aaron

Paper size:

Classic (5.5 x 8.5)

Usage advice:

The form is meant to be double-sided. To print page two, face the blank side up and rotate 180 degrees

I really like the cornell notetaking system, but I prefer to use it on index cards, with a column for tags and a little section at the bottom for followup tasks. So I made a template. Yay!

Give it a go and let me know what you all think.

Paper size:

Index Card (3 x 5)

Thumbnail:

Usage advice:

Fill in the title at the top (I use the format lecture [card no.], with most lectures spanning multiple cards).

Note any followup tasks that occur to you during the lecture at the bottom (I guess you could use a separate tasks card for this, but I like to keep them together so I process the tasks at the review stage).

Later (say, that evening or a few days after the lecture), take your notes and read them through, tagging the card appropriately.

A letter-size page containing four sections: Projects, Waiting For, Actions, and a grid section with checkboxes. The reverse is grid over the whole page, five boxes per inch.

Paper size:

Letter

Thumbnail:

Usage advice:

Hi.

I'm working on incorporating more of the GTD principles into my planning. My planner is quarter-letter in portrait orientation. I wanted to see Projects, Waiting, and Actions all at the same time, but I need a full planner page (4.25x5.5) for each type of item in one context.

So I have laminated this page on both sides to use with a Zwipes or wet-erase pen, then folded it and trimmed the edges so only one edge is actually bound into the planner. This allows me to open up the pages and view them side-by-side without removing any pages from my planner. I actually have two copies, one for home and one for work. I printed them on different colored paper so I could easily tell them apart.

The lamination is not required to make this page work, that just makes the page more reusable. Nor does it actually have to be bound into a planner. As drawn, it will fold neatly to fit in the back pocket of a pair of jeans or in the pocket of a purse.

The margins are set for circa binding. If you have ring binding, the holes may lap into the form a bit. Line width is .2 inch, my personal preference.

The second page of this template is a full page grid, for whatever notes or thoughts come up that need to be captured.

Both PDF and OOo Draw files are included, so you can print as-is or tweak it to suit yourself.

These templates were created out of a desire to combine a classic size planner with a satellite hPDA. I often need to have some bit of information that I need to be able to reference when working with my planner, but then to take with me when running errands or when in a situation that doesn't support a thick classic-size binder. These templates are designed to work well with both.

These templates are designed with a landscape orientation and with a larger margin to one side. This supports punching in the larger margin so the card can be clipped into the larger binder. In a seven-ring binder, three holes will fit along the short side of the 3 x 5 card, and two cards can be placed on a single page. You can even cut a slit in the edge of the card into the punched holes so that these satellite cards can be quickly clipped in and out of a ring binder.

Day-keeper: If I know I will have a day when I'm away from my desk, I'll fill out the various appointments and locations on the satellite card, clip it into the calendar section my larger planner at the appropriate date, and take it out when I have to leave the office that day.

Actions: I keep my @Errands action list on a satellite card so I can clip it out when I'm leaving for the store

Checklist: I keep reference lists on these like "CDs to Buy" or "Movies to Rent." That way, they are in my planner for quick access when I think of something to add, but easy to take with me when I'm out and about.

Directions: If I'm going somewhere I haven't been before, I can fill the directions out on one of these forms, then clip it in my planner calendar next to the day I plan to make the trip.

Notes: Good for printing on the back of agenda or day-keeper forms, just in case you need more structure than a blank card.

Taken directly from the DIY templates, I have modified the contact pages into forms that will allow you to type your contact information and then save the document for future editing.

Paper size:

Classic (5.5 x 8.5)

Usage advice:

Although I have made this template a form that can be edited, I have only modified a DIY template and give them all the credit for the actual document. This is just something I have always wanted, but never been able to find. Please let me know if you find anything that needs modified.

Depending on how you use this form, I suggest entering your information, then saving the document. (IE: Contacts, A; Contacts, B; etc.)

Doug, I hope you don't mind me doing this. If you do, please just delete it.

A fistful of basic templates you can use as a starter. Size 4.25x5.5, or one quarter of a letter page. These are intended to be bound along the long edge, with Circa or Rolla discs.

Paper size:

Other

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Usage advice:

Hi.

I built these for my own use. As such, you may find you want to doctor them up, which is fine with me. Draw files are included with the PDF so you can edit the forms if you want.

Included forms:

a one-page daily schedule 6-10 (6a-10p, but the hours are not marked am/pm). The page title is not shown because I use this as the foundation of a mail merge to preprint my daily pages with their exact DOW and Dates. The DOW blocks on the right hand edge of this page are for cutting daily tabs. I use a ruler and X-acto to remove the tabs that don't apply to the particular page that has been printed. Thus when I have a month's pages in the planner, I can quickly skip from one week to the next using the DOW tabs as a guide.

a blank monthly template. Again, I use this one with a mail merge to pre-print the days and the month name.

two Annual Events pages. These are intended to be printed back-to-back. You write in the birthdays, anniversaries, etc. so you can transfer them to your daily pages when you print a new month. Just a master list of stuff to remember annually. I've also got license plate renewals and car inspection requirements on my list.

two Contacts pages. These are freeform so you can track whatever on the list. No fields are pre-printed because I have different kinds of contact lists. My work contact list looks entirely different from my household list, which is entirely different from my family list. But they all use the same paper pattern. You can either hand-write the stuff in, or use this sheet as a background for a typed list.

a plain lined sheet with a blank header bar.

a plain checklist with a blank area at the top.

a Task Plan sheet. This lists the tasks, priorities, estimated time needed to complete the task, and a column of checkboxes. I use it on the back of my daily schedule pages to show the plan for the day after reviewing my various lists. I find the time estimate valuable in setting my own expectations for the day--helps me keep from overbooking.

a Projects and Multi-Step form. This is GTD, basically--a project list. It has a column for which other list is being used for the project (actions or waiting, basically) and the date the task was added to said list, the name of the project, and a reference name or number for the project. Also checkboxes. I have laminated a copy of this page so I can erase items when they're done. I use the 'list' and 'date on' columns to quickly scan which projects I have going, whether it's something I can do or not, and how long it's been waiting either for action or for someone else to do something. Example: The "Laptop" project has been waiting since the first of the year for me to decide a backup strategy. So the 'list' column shows an '@', and the Date On column shows a "1/1". So I can quickly find the oldest, moldiest stuff and target it for special attention and report details to my boss.

a Waiting For list. Shows Who owes me the action, the Date Due, the action needed, and a Ref column to tie the task back to the project list. I tend to sort the items on this page--I have two basic categories of stuff at work, so one category is always written at the top of the page, and the other category of stuff is at the bottom of the page. When there aren't any open lines left between them, it's time to start lighting fires.

an Actions list. This is my personal to-do list. Shows what needs to be done (Action), a Ref column to tie it back to the project list, and an Age/Due column to put either a date due or give an indication of just how old this item is (someone posted a method where every week they transfer their actions to a new sheet, and every old item moved to the new sheet gets a star to indicate its age. This is a cool method.).

and finally, a What/Where/When form. This is a multipurpose form that can be or do anything. It could be a reminder to go to the dentist, or a shopping list for the next time you're at the grocery, or a set of meeting notes. Has three fields at the top to explain what is on the card, a location and/or time if needed. Underneath a column of checkboxes, and a shaded and unshaded column for whatever you want.

Anyway, lots of stuff in here, you can fiddle with it to your heart's content. I won't mind. The margins are set to .25 inch, with an extra .1 inch guide on the left and right to allow Rolla/Circa punching. The pages are set left/right based on my personal preference. You are welcome to use the .odg file to move or eliminate the margins as you please.

Print the novel and follow the directions. The directions included will show you how to do your own Monthly pages (one page per month) using OpenOffice.org. Once you understand the process, though, you can use it for anything. The process for MS word is similar, but the menu commands and dialog boxes are quite different.

Here by popular demand, Mail Merge Instructions.

Use at your own risk--I will not be tech support for thousands of OpenOffice newbies!

A pair of pages for planning and tracking daily life. Left page has areas for work and personal todos, schedule and a list of who owes you what. Right page has a notes area and a small area of graph paper. ODG and PDF submitted. Comments welcome.

Paper size:

Letter

Thumbnail:

Usage advice:

I use these pages to track my goings-on for a day or more at a time - depends on how long it takes me to get tasks done, or fill up the notes area. When it gets too messy or too full, just transfer your stuff to the next pair of pages - I kill fewer trees this way. NOTE: This template is laid out is the way you'd use it in your planner. This is meant to be printed on US letter sized paper and cut in half and dropped directly in place. I find this layout much more intuitive than most designs and this way I could see both sides together as I was designing it. Print duplex, flip on the short side and everything will be lined up correctly.

***Updated. I added two new files. This is the way I settled on using it. I punch two holes in the right hand side and put it on top of a pocketed folder with 2.75" fasteners (like this. Inside the folder, I keep a set of weekly planning pages (also attached) and a stanadard yearly planning page for those far future things (didn't make my own for this - I think I use one from the standard DIY package), as well as any stuff I need to carry around. When the pocket folder gets beat up, a quick replace gets me back to work. I've found the pages get a little beat up on the outside of the folder, but not too badly before I replace them.

Syndicate

The D*I*Y Planner product, its name, and its associated designs are owned by Douglas Johnston. Other materials remain the property of their authors and are subject to whatever licenses under which they choose to release them.